Basic Skills for self Sufficiency

Do you know what self sufficiency is? Much has been said lately on this subject. In case you don’t know its definition, when we look up its meaning we find: “It is the social and economic ability of an individual, family or community to satisfy its basic needs (including protection, food, water, housing, personal security, health and education) in a sustainable and dignified manner”.

In other words, self sufficiency means that the individual does not depend on other people to live. The first step in wanting to become self-reliant is to want to be.

Know that the most valuable preparation tool for this is completely free and has no expiration date. I am referring to knowledge. The skills you acquire do not require storage space, nor do they spoil, much less risk being stolen or destroyed.

Now, if you’ve come this far today, it’s because you’ve certainly taken the first step. Read on to learn basic skills for self sufficiency. Come check!

Basic skills for self sufficiency

Self Sufficiency: Learning to cook and prepare meals from scratch

Certainly food is a fundamental part of our lives. And to start being self-sufficient, a good step is to learn to cook and prepare meals from scratch. By acquiring this new skill you will be able to make your own food, achieving more autonomy in everyday life and having a healthier diet. And don’t worry, cooking can be easier than it looks.

First of all you will need to observe how it is done before starting. Remembering that the kitchen requires some basic techniques in handling instruments and utensils. Also, you don’t need to have a lot of things in your kitchen, just have the essential utensils, such as pots, knives and bowls.

When you feel ready, start with simple recipes for beginners. Soon, as you acquire more practice, you can venture into more complex recipes.

Food preservation practices: dehydration, canning and fermentation

Food conservation practices are strategies to store food without spoiling or becoming unfit for consumption. Certainly in your daily routine you consume foods that have also gone through a conservation process, such as dried fruits, vegetable oils, canned orange juice, among others. And you can do some of these food preservation practices yourself at home. Check out some of them below:

Dehydration
This practice is also known as drying. Dehydration is the removal of part of the liquid from food, so microorganisms are not able to develop. Likewise, it reduces the size of the food, making it easier to store and transport.

Canning
The main features of this method is sterilizing food and canning. To sterilize food, it needs to go through high temperatures to destroy microorganisms. Once this is done, they can be canned in airtight glass or metal containers.

Fermentation
Fermentation is based on the proliferation of some microorganisms that are not harmful to health, and which during their metabolism end up generating products (CO2, organic acids) that alter the pH, thus inhibiting the growth of microorganisms that decompose food. Example: yogurt and fermented milk.

Home construction and repairs: woodworking, plumbing and electrical skills

You may also be prepared to troubleshoot minor home repairs. Remembering that if the problem is more serious, the best thing is to hire a specialized professional. Here are some repairs that you can do very easily without relying on anyone:

Changing light bulbs: This is certainly one of the simplest things to do in a home, however it requires some care. First of all, turn off the breaker responsible for the electricity in the house, so you won’t be at any risk of getting shocked. Then remove the burnt out bulb and put the new one in its place. Turn the circuit breaker back on and check that the lamp is working properly.

Installation of faucets: First, close the water valve and release the water outlet plug (small piece with a square finish). This way you will have access to the place that must be threaded to remove the faucet. After removing it, apply thread sealing tape to the new faucet in the threaded part. Then, I screwed it into the water outlet until it was well secured and in the correct position. Lastly, open the registry and see if it’s working fine.

Unclogging sinks: This is a very common and very inconvenient problem. If this happens, you can use a common plunger to clean all the plumbing. To unclog, fill the sink with water and use it with pressure. Do this several times until the problem is resolved.

Hanging pictures or shelves: Yes very simple to hang small pictures with a steel nail. However, if the frames or shelves are heavy, it is best to use dowels to make them firmer. Mark the place, position the drill and fit the bushing. Then put the screws and voila!

Craft production: how to make cleaning and personal care products

Many people are unaware, but it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to keep your home clean and spotless. You can save money by making your own natural cleaning products with ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen.

Among the ingredients you will need are: vinegar, lemon and baking soda. With just these three ingredients it is possible to make several products to help you clean your home, such as stain remover, disinfectant, multipurpose cleaner, among others.

In the same way, it is also possible to make sustainable personal care products, in addition to saving money, they are not harmful to the environment. For example, in the case of homemade shampoo, it can be an excellent option to replace conventional ones that contain chemical components that are harmful to our health. Using simple ingredients like baking soda, cornstarch, almond oil, etc., you can make your own natural shampoo.

First aid techniques and basic health care

And definitely when it comes to self sufficiency it is essential that we have knowledge of first aid techniques. See the main ones:

• Do cardiac massage
• Disengage
• Stop bleeding
• Soften burns
• Unburden
• Caring for bone fractures

As well, taking care of our health properly is also part of our self sufficiency. Check out some essential precautions:

• Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
• Sleep well
• Do physical exercises regularly
• Have a balanced diet
• Take exams regularly
• Avoid sugar intake
• Avoid harmful habits: cigarettes and excessive alcohol

As you can see, it is quite simple to become a self-sufficient person, you just need to want and be willing to acquire new knowledge.